If the local dealer can’t supply GPS steerable OEM factory rubber tracks, aftermarket companies like Gramlow probably can
When plans for a rubber-tracked GPS-guided steerable corn planter bog down because the dealer can’t find the parts, help might be available from Gramlow Ltd. “Centre sections on planters are too heavy much of the time. The original tires aren’t up to carrying the full load,” says Richard Gramlow, co-owner of Gramlow in Fullerton, North […] Read moreCrop Management — page 527
Old friends killing old foes again
Old school herbicides Avadex and Edge are teaching new lessons to resistant wild oats
Two “old friends” might be enlisted in the chemical fight against herbicide resistant weeds. One of them is Avadex, said Mike Grenier of Gowan Canada, which acquired Avadex from Monsanto in 2004. Avadex, with the active ingredient of triallate, is a Group 8 herbicide that has been shown in trials to control wild oats that […] Read more
Honey Bee goes big, cuts weight
Saskatchewan company builds a 50 foot wide combine header while keeping it lightweight
Getting some air is generally not something producers are looking for with their combines’ flex headers. Growers don’t want gaps with the ground when they are down low harvesting the last of the lentils, peas, chickpeas or soybeans. A new combine header from Honey Bee of Frontier, Sask., is causing some buzz with farmers. The […] Read more
CaseIH focuses on customization
Precision Planting parts can be added to older Case machines
Farmers who plant soybeans and corn are frustrated when buying a planter that isn’t designed to accept the exact components they know work on their farm. CaseIH and Precision Planting looked at this situation and saw an opportunity, according to CaseIH crop production marketing manager Dan Klein. “We looked as far as possible into the […] Read more
Variable rate fertilization makes big farms more efficient
One reality of modern agriculture and the trend toward larger farms is that efficiency often trumps agronomy. This is especially true during seeding, when many managers, armed with data showing yield losses of more than one percent for every day that seeding is delayed, try to compress planting into fewer and fewer days. Farmers who […] Read more
Kit converts beet, corn planter to canola
Prairie-built disc kit helps canola growers manage seed spacing and singulation
Despite the recent flurry of interest in turning old corn planters into dedicated canola planters, most farmers are limited by cost and availability of the necessary parts. But the efforts of two farmers from Lettlier, Man., may soon change that. Their Red River Valley (RRV) Canola Disc is a relatively low-cost kit that converts old […] Read moreTake your canola straight
Early reports last fall suggested that straight cutting canola is a viable strategy for most growers. And with the right tools, the process can provide significant economic advantages. As the data continues to come in and be evaluated, it appears producers should consider putting canola swaths behind them in a new way. Last fall, Chris […] Read more
High tunnels help growers harvest year-round
In the right greenhouse, some cold-hardy vegetables can be grown in winter without additional heating
ORILLIA, Ont. — High tunnels are not just about extending the growing season for market gardeners. In latitudes where the sunlight allows, some are now harvesting crops year round with no supplemental heat. Adam Montri operates Ten Hen Farms at a latitude of 42.8 degrees north in central Michigan with his family. He is also […] Read more
ReCon crushes stems to keep in moisture
Re-conditioners help forage growers get the most from their crops
FARGO, N.D. — Some hay farmers count the days between cutting and baling. Serious forage producers, such as dairy farmers, count the hours. A grower who bales 48 hours sooner stands to gain $67 per ton, or $17.50 per acre, on hay quality, says Dan Undersander of Wisconsin State University, a frequent speaker at Manitoba […] Read more
Risk management starts with crop choice
Prairie producers have few choices that will generate profit for the upcoming crop year. However, a lot of math and phone calls and a little polishing of the crystal ball can deliver a plan for cropping choices that might put some black back in the pen. Manitoba Agriculture released its profitability analysis for the year […] Read more
